key: cord-0762597-xqz2ntc4
authors: Salvagno, Gian Luca; Henry, Brandon M.; Pighi, Laura; De Nitto, Simone; Montagnana, Martina; Lippi, Giuseppe
title: SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection is associated with high nasopharyngeal viral load
date: 2022-02-26
journal: J Infect
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2022.02.025
sha: 25a9b6c32c9d37995028872016cbe959a9f5a8cf
doc_id: 762597
cord_uid: xqz2ntc4

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corresponding periods of years 2021 and 2022 (i.e., between 3-9 January), characterized by local prevalence of Alpha (>95%; January 2021) and Omicron (>90%; January 2022) SARS-CoV-2 variants, respectively. Briefly, the study population consisted of all patients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test performed between 3-9 January 2021 or 2022, respectively. Routine nasopharyngeal samples were collected according to standardized practice in subjects referred to the Pederzoli Hospital of Peschiera del Garda (Italy) for undergoing routine SARS-CoV-2 testing for presenting symptoms of In conclusion, the results of our retrospective analysis provide convincing support to the suggestion that aerosols released by patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant may contain higher viral particles than those released by subjects infected with previous SARS-CoV-2 strains, thus providing a solid biologic background to justify enhanced transmissibility of this new linage and higher prevalence of upper respiratory tract symptoms reported in other studies [3, 4] .

None declared. 

High amounts of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols exhaled by patients with Omicron variant infection

Evaluation of three commercial assays for SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection in upper respiratory tract samples

Influence of immune escape and nasopharyngeal virus load on the spread of SARS

Epub ahead of print

Is SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant causing different symptoms?